1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to electronic communications, and more particularly, to methods and systems for sending and/or receiving Short Message Service (SMS) communications in a secure manner.
2. Related Art
Short Message Service (SMS) is a communications protocol that allows the interchange of short text messages between mobile devices. SMS text messaging has become the most widely used tool of communications in many business and personal situations having billions of active users sending and receiving text messages on their mobile devices.
The ubiquitous worldwide use of mobile devices and SMS text communications has posed risks for users of having their SMS text communications intercepted, read or pried upon by, in some cases, unwelcome third parties. In particular, this is a problem when users want to send or receive passwords, account numbers, personal details, confidential messages or other sensitive information.
Some companies still use insecure SMS text messaging in relation to, for example, payment systems or financial transactions. To get around such insecure text messaging, such companies may use an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) call back system to obtain, for example, a Personal Identification Number (PIN). This may create bad user experience because, for example, IVR is often criticized as being unhelpful and difficult to use due to poor design and lack of appreciation of the user's needs. IVR is an insecure channel itself and provides no guarantee of a strong second factor of authentication.
Also, in view of the risks posed in potentially having sensitive information detected by third parties, services have been offered for use against SMS prying. Such services may encrypt every text message during transfer, which remains encrypted on the user's mobile phone, thus preventing unwelcome third parties from deciphering private text messages. Text messages may appear scrambled until a correct password is entered. However, the services offered in connection with these services are inconvenient in that they must be downloaded similarly to, for example, a ringtone. Also, such services have no hardware support as their key management is in software.
Furthermore, in some typical SMS communications, for example, in online payment systems, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) or other typical protocols may be employed for mobile payments or financial transactions. This requires Internet access from the mobile device, which means that users must sign up for a data plan. Because exchanging data over protocol channels such as WAP is expensive to use for SMS type data, users tend not to use such protocol services.